


Blackmail

by NervousOtaku (orphan_account)



Series: Tales of a 144 Player Fansession! [29]
Category: Homestuck
Genre: Mental Health Issues, SBURB Fan Session, Self-Esteem Issues, Threats of Violence, Unlicensed Doctor
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-02
Updated: 2017-11-02
Packaged: 2019-01-28 09:35:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,501
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12603624
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/NervousOtaku
Summary: Or: Bards Use Their Aspect To Destroy, And The Doctor Is Caught Between Two





	Blackmail

**Author's Note:**

> I based Laura's Asperger's and Carl's condition off of those of people I know. I apologize if I've offended anyone with my representations of them.

“I'll be done in just a minute.”

“Oh, don't mind me.”

Laura looked up with a frown.

Callisto was leaning against the doorway of the clinic, lounging like he owned the place as he touched his fingers to the rim of his fedora with a leery grin. He looked like a cinema gangster, with his long coat and casual suit. His normal blackjack was tucked into his belt at his hip, coat tucked behind the weapon.

Jacob looked to her with a frown. Standing up straight, she gestured for him to leave. The Prince hesitated for a minute, but then stood from his chore and left.

Callisto kicked the door shut behind Jacob, then turned to her.

“How ya been, Doc?” he asked easily, hooking his thumbs into his waistband. Still grinning.

“Well. What do I owe the pleasure?” Laura asked carefully, looking him over. “You appear well.”

“So does Lily.”

“I don't understand.” she said, perhaps a tad too fast. The Heir had asked that she not tell anyone about her illness. While she might not understand the girl's motivations, the Mage intended to keep doctor-patient confidentiality.

“Don't you?” Callisto asked. The smile didn't reach his eyes.

Laura stepped back warily as he came closer.

“She came here a week ago, didn't she? I think she did.”

Another step forward. Another step back.

“And my little lady seems a little... _down_ since she saw you now, Doc.” Callisto continued, still grinning, still casual. He was starting to put her on edge. “So I'm wondering... What's up, Doc?”

The cartoony line was spoken in a dark tone that made her shudder.

Her back was to the wall. Callisto had boxed her in.

“I have no clue what you're talking about.” Laura said forcefully, voice cracking a little towards the end.

“I think you do, Doc. And I'd like to know the details, if you could, doll face.”

The grin became feral. Cruel. He was leaning forward, breath tickling her cheeks. His fingertips were brushing against his blackjack.

“... I am obligated to keep my patient's secrets as such unless otherwise requested or instructed.”

“And I'm instructing you, are I not, child professor?”

Her eyes widened in shock.

“It took me a while to figure it out.” Callisto said in a languid tone, rocking back and giving her some more space as his grin became even colder. Reaching up to push his hat back, he continued, “But all the clues are right there. Verbosity. Ritualistic habits. Hard to connect with. Trouble empathizing. Narrow and in-depth interests.”

“I function just fine.” she said, voice low and sharp.

“ _You_ do. But _Carl_ doesn't, and _he_ thinks you're perfect, relying on his cute doctor for his pills and meds. How would our poor resident _loon_ react if he found out that you're just like him?”

Laura lashed out, hand connecting with Callisto's face. “Do _not_ refer to him as if he is _inferior_ to you. There is _nothing_ wrong with him. There is _nothing_ wrong with _me_. We're just _different_.” she hissed.

The Bard snickered, reaching up to rub his fingertips over the red patch on his cheek. “That stings, sweetheart. You gonna kiss it better?”

“Get out.” Laura ordered, quivering in anger.

“Or what?”

“Get out!” she yelled.

Callisto's eyes narrowed. “This ain't over. I will find out what it is you're hiding from me, Doc. Willing to bet I won't be happy about it. And if I'm not... I'll be back.”

With that, he swept out.

Before the door clacked shut, Jacob came back in. He was frowning, looking between her and the door.

“... Laura?”

She didn't answer, bolting into the back room and slamming the door shut.

Leaving the light off, she sank to the floor, face in her hands as she took deep breaths.

She couldn't lose it, she couldn't lose it, _she couldn't lose it..._

Shuddering, she reached into her sylladex and pulled out one of her many Rubik's cubes. This one glowed in the dark, a twenty-twenty-twenty cube. Turning it over in her hands, she studied the squares, biting at her lip before starting.

About half an hour later, she came out of the room, turning the cube over in her hands again to make sure it was done.

“... Where's my medication...?” she said softly.

Jacob stood up from where he was sorting bottles, moving over the the desk in the corner.

“Are you alright?” the Prince asked as he retrieved the small orange bottle for her.

“I'll be fine.” she replied sharply.

“... No you aren't.”

Again, she lashed out, but Jacob caught her by the wrist.

“Take a walk. Go see Carl and drop off his next prescription. I don't know what that guy did to you, but you're obviously shaken. Here.”

In addition to her own meds and a water bottle, Jacob pressed a plastic bag of prescriptions into her fingers. She glared at him before shaking her head and stalking off. She was vaguely aware of Jacob leaving as well, heading in a different direction.

She didn't need to be babied.

She was fine.

It didn't take her too long to get to the Land Of Sex And EDM. What was taking a while was finding the Bard of Heart.

Laura sighed, rubbing at her eyes as more moans and sighs filled the air. The flashing boards showed more and more obscene things as the music thumped and shook the ground.

Either Carl was off-planet or in the institution—

“Doctor Walker!”

Or not.

The Mage turned, raising her hand to wave. Carl waved back, his straightjacket probably jangling. She couldn't hear it over the music and the pornography.

The Bard stumbled a bit as he skidded to a stop in front of her, so his head bumped into her shoulder. He mumbled an apology as he grabbed her, the words lost in the din.

“C'mon, c'mon!” he yelled, tugging at her to lead her towards the quiet and peacefulness of the asylum.

It took a while, but they got to the hill where the wing of the hospital was. The small field of crude crosses made of sticks greeted them first. Carl deliberately didn't look at them, turning his head away in order to keep them from his field of vision. Laura didn't react, numb to the sight by now.

“Sho... So, what are you du... doing here?” Carl asked, scowling at his slurs and fumblings.

“I brought your prescriptions.” she replied as he led her into the gaping open building.

“Huh? I'm nod... not due for anuf... another week.” he frowned in confusion, reaching up to scratch at his hair. It looked like he hadn't showered for a while.

“Something came up.”

_Callisto came up._

“Oh. Okay. Thanksh... Thanks.”

Laura reached into her sylladex. The bag of pills came out—

 _Shit_.

“What're those?” Carl frowned as she hastily separated her prescription from his.

“Someone else's.”

The Bard frowned more, rocking back and forth on his heels anxiously. “Whose? Wha... Why?” he probed, sounding distressed.

 _Shit_.

 _Shit_.

“... They're mine.”

Carl's face screwed up, and he shook his hands uncertainly. His pills rattled and the buckles on his straightjacket jangled.

“Y... Yours?”

“Yes. I... I have Asperger's Syndrome. A form of autism.”

Carl didn't say anything, leaning back, studying her with his face scrunched up. Laura reached out, mouth opening to warn him, but she wasn't fast enough. The Bard tumbled over backwards, arms flailing as he shrieked in shock. He hit the floor hard, making her wince, and she hurried to kneel next to him.

“Are you alright?” she asked gingerly.

“Wh... Why didn't you _tell_ me?” Carl demanded accusingly, sitting up straight and glowering.

“Because I never told anyone. It didn't matter.”

“So why'sit madder _now?!_ ”

He was stumbling more. He always stopped caring about his words when he got mad. He just couldn't be bothered to give a shit anymore when he was frustrated.

“It doesn't.” Laura replied, starting to get frustrated herself.

“Then why'dja talk like iddoes?!”

“I _wasn't_ talking like it matters, _because it doesn't_ , and that's all I'm going to say on the matter. Do you have your prescription?”

Carl looked down, opening his hand to check for the plastic bag. “Yeah.” he grumbled.

“Then I'm done here.” she said coldly, standing up and leaving.

When Laura had returned to her planet and the clinic, she still hasn't taken her pills. She was swallowing them down as she came in, but almost choked when she saw Jacob.

“What happened?!” she demanded, making him look up from bandaging his wounds.

“Oh. I... I went after Callisto and... Well, we talked.” the Prince replied awkwardly.

“With your fists?” she scoffed, marching over to help him.

“More like with a broken chair and an unabridged paradoxal dictionary.” Jacob said with the tiniest quirk to his lips. “What about you? Alright now?”

“Peachy.”

Once he was patched up, Laura retreated into the back room and pulled out a ghost cube to fiddle with.

She wasn't okay.


End file.
